It is generally known that closable compartments in a motor vehicle are intended to remain securely closed in specific loading situations. Such loading situations may, for example, occur in flaps of glove compartments in motor vehicles when an air bag is installed in the same mounting part as the glove compartment and the air bag is deployed in the event of a vehicle accident or when an occupant presses the knees against the flap in the event of a crash.
Locks triggered via sensors and actuated by a motor are known and effective but complex and associated with high costs.
A closure device for a compartment which is able to be closed by a flap, in particular a glove compartment, in motor vehicles is disclosed in EP 1449991 A2. Such closure device includes a latch and a lock clip. In the aforementioned publication, the latch and the lock clip are suspended by a holder in the form of a slip clutch which is deformable or displaceable and which causes a deformation or displacement when a release energy limit is exceeded and thus prevents the opening thereof.
A locking unit for the cover of an opening in the interior of vehicles is disclosed in WO 2005/083212 A1. Such locking unit has a housing connected to the cover or to the frame defining the opening to be covered, in which a spring-loaded rocker is pivotably mounted. The rocker cooperates with a spring-loaded locking element which is additionally able to be locked in the closed position thereof and engages behind a locking element arranged on the frame of the opening or the cover to be covered. The locking element consists of two latching elements mounted mirror-symmetrically within a common pivot axis, wherein the spring acts on at least one latching element. The spring moves the latching elements into a scissors-like open position, and at least one latching element has a stop which, when brought into contact with the locking element, moves the latching elements counter to the action of a spring force into the closed position in which the latching elements grip around the locking element from both sides and in the closed position latches a locking lug arranged on the spring-loaded rocker to one of the latching elements and, for initiating the opening movement via an actuating element, the rocker is able to be moved counter to the action of the spring and moves the locking lug out of the latching position.
It would be desirable to provide a simple closure device which prevents the opening of a flap by the action of a force in the event of a crash, without a complex construction.